LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Shaquille O'Neal scored 30 points and
grabbed 16 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers moved into first
place with their season-high seventh straight win, 91-80 over
the hapless Washington Wizards.

O'Neal scored seven points during a 12-6 run that put the Lakers
ahead, 70-59, with 7:01 left in the fourth quarter. He shot
14-of-23 from the field and recorded his 16th double-double of
the season as Los Angeles (15-4) moved one game ahead of
Portland for the NBA's best record.

"It was a sloppy game tonight," O'Neal said. "We got too much
rest. We had the day off this morning. I'm letting my
teammates look for me and find me high percentage shots."

Rod Strickland made a layup to pull Washington within 79-73 with
3:24 left, but Glen Rice made two free throws and Kobe Bryant
hit a jumper as the Lakers opened a 10-point cushion.

Bryant scored 21 points, Rice added 15 and Rick Fox 11 for Los
Angeles, which is riding its longest winning streak since a
10-game run last season. The Lakers held their opponent to 80
points or less for the fifth time in six games.

"I feel like I can run all day long. Maybe that is because of
the adrenaline of the game," Bryant said. "I feel that some
little things are still off, like timing, but that's OK."

Bryant was 11-of-14 from the line.

O'Neal blocked seven shots and Robert Horry five for Los
Angeles, which had a 15-4 advantage in blocks and shot 44
percent (32-of-72) from the floor. Washington was held to 36
percent (32-of-89).

"Obviously we want to win and I think we're getting better,"
Strickland said. "I'm not making any excuses, but I think the
refs see the Wizards playing against a team like the Lakers and
just don't expect to win."

"We can't win any games unless our guys score, and we had a
great opportunity to score," Wizards coach Gar Heard added. "We
had a chance to win the ballgame and I'm not blaming the loss on
the officials, but I'd like to have a fair shake down the
stretch."

Howard grabbed nine rebounds and Isaac Austin pulled down eight,
helping the Wizards to a 50-45 advantage on the boards. But
Washington lost for the 24th time in the last 26 road games
against the Lakers.

Los Angeles scored six straight points to grab a 57-50 lead with
1:42 left in the third quarter. No team had led by more than
six up to that point.